Apple are obviously doing this to try and get people to upgrade, but all it's doing is making darn sure that when my iPod finally croaks, I'm getting an MP3 Player from a different company...

This has me a little worried about my Classic iPod. The current 80 gig model is my workhorse: it is my iTunes back-up, contains all of my playlists, videos, etc. Nanos don't come with enough memory, even if it is just the music. The 8g nano in the truck is so full that I have to delete songs before I can add new ones, and it doesn't even have the holiday and background music. Currently, my classic iPod has 40g worth of stuff on it. It's only replacement: a 160 g Classic. The touch goes up to only 36 gigs.

I have AVG antivirus on this computer, which I had to put on in an emergency (long story, but the gist of it is that the programs I used for work upgraded and stopped recognizing each other and I had to get an antivirus program fast. I've already purchased two antivirus programs this year because of this issue, so I got the AVG free one.) Even though most of the issues I've had lately have been because of the programs I use for work, I'm annoyed at AVG because they keep sending me dire warnings about things wrong with my computer that they want me to pay for other programs to fix. While I can see that most of this is a marketing gimmick, it's especially annoying because I get all these warnings at least twice an hour, and they've interrupted my work more than once. I really don't like companies that play on people's fears.

I understand that Avast Free or Iobit.com's Malware Defender Free have better reputations than AVG.

We won't be buying another Gateway laptop (if the company still exists) because the graphics card burned out the monitor not once but twice. I finally got told about the white stripes in the screen after the computer went out of warranty. VorGuy hates to have his car or his computer in the shop - so it only gets taken in once it no longer works...or if I offer to swap cars with him for the day.

If I'd known he was having issues five years ago, I would have loaned him my laptop...as it was...he ended up getting a new one - it was not a Gateway.

I have a fairly "old" iPod touch (I can't remember just how old, but it's at least 6+ years), and was already frustrated by how many apps aren't supported on the older OS - iTunes won't let me upgrade my OS because they basically only care about iPads and iPhones now.

Now, apps that used to work on my iPod are refusing to, because Apple deliberately changed them to only work on newer OS! This is beyond ridiculous. If I buy a product, I have a right for it to be supported during its life!

Apple are obviously doing this to try and get people to upgrade, but all it's doing is making darn sure that when my iPod finally croaks, I'm getting an MP3 Player from a different company...

In general, this is a very deliberate business model for Apple, and is actually one of the things that led to its resurgence as a viable alternative to Windows computers. Apple decided that, unlike Windows, they had no intention of making their software backwards compatible forever. They'd make it backwards compatible to a point, but eventually they'd stop trying to make new stuff work with their older operating systems.

The reasoning was that Windows was becoming clunky, because not only did they have to support third party software and hardware (that they had no control over), they also had to make sure their operating systems would be backwards compatible with that software/hardware almost indefinitely. It made it difficult to release new operating systems, just because of the sheer number of potential compatibility issues.

Apple responded to that very real issue by deciding that they would build their own hardware and not support even their own software indefinitely. There comes a point even on Apple computers where you either upgrade the OS or your computer increasingly stops working. And there comes a point where the hardware on the computer simply won't support an OS upgrade.

The same thing has carried over to their mobile devices. At some point, the hardware of the device won't allow for an OS upgrade, which means that the software is no longer compatible. It stinks, and I experienced the same issues with my several-year-old iPod before I replaced it with a Nexus smartphone. And while I can definitely understand not wanting to buy from Apple because they do tend to stop supporting old hardware/operating systems faster than other companies, it is kind of a fact of operating systems that it becomes increasingly difficult (with increasingly fewer benefits) the further back they try to be compatible.

In other words, other companies might support their devices longer, which might be a better fit with how often you are inclined to replace them, but this statement: "If I buy a product, I have a right for it to be supported during its life!" really is not something that is realistic or practical for companies that produce computers and mobile devices. No matter who you buy your next device from, there will come a time when it's just too old for the company to deem it worth the effort of continuing to support its software, even if it's still functional as a piece of hardware. That said, figuring out where the company draws the line and stops supporting older software is worth figuring out, because they all draw that line in a different place.

And if you have an older laptop that you want to keep working - there is always Linux...

Although as I can't run my embroidery machine on anything but Windows XP, Vista, and 7 - I'm not going to install Linux on this laptop until I replace the embroidery machine.

(((sigh))) The newer embroidery machines have much larger hoops, too - you can do a design for a t-shirt or one side of a tote bag in one big hoop now, instead of moving the hoop & lining up designs to make it look like it was all done at the same time....

I'm currently staying in a hotel in Manhattan that costs $230 a night (thankfully my DH's job is paying for this) and its probably one of the worst hotels I've ever stayed in.

They don't have cable TV - just antenna service so the TV is grainy and the channels keep doing this annoying skipping thing and freezing.

The air conditioning seems to be connected to the light outlets so anytime the air-conditioning comes on the lights flicker. Sometimes the air doesn't have to be on for the lights to flicker - they just go crazy.

We have no insulation from the outside noise and we're on a busy street so pretty much most car horns or sirens have woken me up.

The bathroom is so cramped that I have to turn sideways to fit on the toilet.

I've stayed in somewhat questionable hotels that I've paid $20 for that were worlds better than this place.

If you all are staying there because DH's company has some contract with them - he needs to let TPTB know that it has gone downhill and the contract needs to be reviewed. I would bring up the flickering lights, and any cleanliness issues. The flickering lights could mean a dangerous problem with overloaded circuits.

If it isn't a contract thing, just the company booked you all there - he should call now and see if you can be booked in somewhere else for the same reason.

I have a fairly "old" iPod touch (I can't remember just how old, but it's at least 6+ years), and was already frustrated by how many apps aren't supported on the older OS - iTunes won't let me upgrade my OS because they basically only care about iPads and iPhones now.

Now, apps that used to work on my iPod are refusing to, because Apple deliberately changed them to only work on newer OS! This is beyond ridiculous. If I buy a product, I have a right for it to be supported during its life!

Apple are obviously doing this to try and get people to upgrade, but all it's doing is making darn sure that when my iPod finally croaks, I'm getting an MP3 Player from a different company...

In general, this is a very deliberate business model for Apple, and is actually one of the things that led to its resurgence as a viable alternative to Windows computers. Apple decided that, unlike Windows, they had no intention of making their software backwards compatible forever. They'd make it backwards compatible to a point, but eventually they'd stop trying to make new stuff work with their older operating systems.

The reasoning was that Windows was becoming clunky, because not only did they have to support third party software and hardware (that they had no control over), they also had to make sure their operating systems would be backwards compatible with that software/hardware almost indefinitely. It made it difficult to release new operating systems, just because of the sheer number of potential compatibility issues.

Apple responded to that very real issue by deciding that they would build their own hardware and not support even their own software indefinitely. There comes a point even on Apple computers where you either upgrade the OS or your computer increasingly stops working. And there comes a point where the hardware on the computer simply won't support an OS upgrade.

The same thing has carried over to their mobile devices. At some point, the hardware of the device won't allow for an OS upgrade, which means that the software is no longer compatible. It stinks, and I experienced the same issues with my several-year-old iPod before I replaced it with a Nexus smartphone. And while I can definitely understand not wanting to buy from Apple because they do tend to stop supporting old hardware/operating systems faster than other companies, it is kind of a fact of operating systems that it becomes increasingly difficult (with increasingly fewer benefits) the further back they try to be compatible.

In other words, other companies might support their devices longer, which might be a better fit with how often you are inclined to replace them, but this statement: "If I buy a product, I have a right for it to be supported during its life!" really is not something that is realistic or practical for companies that produce computers and mobile devices. No matter who you buy your next device from, there will come a time when it's just too old for the company to deem it worth the effort of continuing to support its software, even if it's still functional as a piece of hardware. That said, figuring out where the company draws the line and stops supporting older software is worth figuring out, because they all draw that line in a different place.

Apple are obviously doing this to try and get people to upgrade, but all it's doing is making darn sure that when my iPod finally croaks, I'm getting an MP3 Player from a different company...

This has me a little worried about my Classic iPod. The current 80 gig model is my workhorse: it is my iTunes back-up, contains all of my playlists, videos, etc. Nanos don't come with enough memory, even if it is just the music. The 8g nano in the truck is so full that I have to delete songs before I can add new ones, and it doesn't even have the holiday and background music. Currently, my classic iPod has 40g worth of stuff on it. It's only replacement: a 160 g Classic. The touch goes up to only 36 gigs.

Maybe I should buy another used nano to use in the back yard.

I wouldn't worry too much about the classic version. There isn't really much software for Apple to change, from what I can see. It's essentially a cute portable hard drive with a screen, so I can't imagine that there would be much issue with it for years to come.

Colonial Cafe and Restaurant. When I was a kid, it was THE place to get awesome ice cream. Over time, the ice cream remained fairly awesome, but the food declined. Then the ice cream started declining, too.

They didn't do any one thing, but the last time we went there, my chili tasted like ketchup with meat in it, and my milkshake was basically cold milk with Oreo (chocolate cookie, for those of you not in the US) powder in it. They're more expensive than other similar restaurants, so that was the last time. Pity- I used to love them.

The ironic thing is I remember when, in the computer industry, Dell's customer service was held up as the Gold Standard.

Logged

My cousin's memoir of love and loneliness while raising a child with multiple disabilities will be out on Amazon soon! Know the Night, by Maria Mutch, has been called "full of hope, light, and companionship for surviving the small hours of the night."

Tried to give Olive Garden another chance--my DD wanted pasta, soup sounded good, and it was on the way home. The waiter came, took our order, brought our food...and never came back. (Not really "unlimited" soup if the waiter never returns to see if you want more...) DD had come from an activity class and was really thirsty; she drank her juice and wanted a refill; I had to give her my water. (Side note--if a 6 year old asks if the waiter is ever coming back, that's bad service.)